Thanks to the pandemic, we are now more focused on our health. We are all cautious about what we eat because building immunity is the only way to fight the fatal virus. It is all the more important for pregnant women and children to develop immunity to fight the virus. COVID 19 has definitely made pregnancy difficult for a few while some are enjoying the benefits of being home. However, the fear of being exposed to the virus makes parents really worried. 

Your pregnancy may not be going as exactly as you planned. It’s time we accepted reality and fought to make our every day better. You can still make your pregnancy period memorable!

So here are a few things pregnant women can do for general health care.

Sanitize: A word that we hear multiple times a day! Sanitize every object that can possibly have the virus such as doorbells, phones, bags, doorknobs, specs, etc. Wash your hands often and don’t risk it at any point.

• Don’t meet people who are sick or exposed to the virus. 
• If you have ordered something, then leave the package outside for a while. Sanitize your hands and package when touched.
• Avoid non-essential travel and stay six feet away from people when you’re out.
• Follow all the guidelines WHO suggests for pregnant women.

Build immunity: Totally understandable that your cravings lead your diet when you’re pregnant. However, considering the risk, it is advised to avoid foods that aren’t homemade. Covid-19 awakened the cooking skills of many. Try to satisfy your food cravings by making the cuisine you are badly craving at home. All you have to do is buy the ingredients, sanitize, cook, click a picture for Instagram, and save yourself from the virus. Don’t let your craving mess you up. If you aren’t physically in a position to cook, ask if someone in your house can do it.

What to eat to build immunity?

• Milk and milk products are an essential part of the pregnancy diet.
• Take foods that are rich in protein.
• Take dry fruits whenever you feel like snacking.
• Intake all types of immunity boosters that are seasonal. 
• Eat fruits and vegetables like mushroom, bell peppers, citric fruits, and spinach to build your immune system. 

These are general food items to improve immunity. You and your doctor will know better about what works for you and what doesn’t. Have a diet chart that focuses on a balanced and nutritious diet.

Apart from these, have a continuous and regular sleep cycle, drink lots of water and exercise as much as you can. Exercise helps with the hormonal imbalance and also in stretching the pelvis area.

Mental health: Lives have drastically changed and there’s an impact on everyone regarding mental health. Going to the park for a walk or a checkup to the doctor has become difficult. Many pregnant women claimed that they wanted to spend the gestation period pampered and peaceful and the pandemic and ruined so many things for them. At such a point, it is important that you take care of your mental health. The best would be to talk to other pregnant moms and look at the brighter side of things. 

Wondering what the brighter things are?

• No work travel – Bye bye traffic! If you are a working woman, then please take a moment to realize all the negative things you are avoiding by working from home.
• Home is peace – Pregnancy is PMS for months. You are at your comfort place, and you don’t have to worry about the boss or colleague you hate. The best part – you can puke loud at your own home.
• The dressing is not a struggle – You can save so much on maternity clothes and wear anything you want at home. Don’t even worry about staining your clothes!

There are scanty proofs on the impact of corona virus on pregnant women and their babies. There’s so much to be explored yet by researchers. There is no need to worry about it unless you are exposed to the virus. The only thing you can do is take good care of yourself. There are chances you might feel isolated and low even after trying so hard to look at “brighter things.” All of this will make you anxious and stressed. Consider some yoga and meditation. Disconnect from social media and news if it is making you over think and fear. Find your stressors and come up with a solution. Spend this pandemic completely on yourself and your work if you are a working woman.

Pregnant women are immune compromised and hence it’s advised you take the best care of yourself in terms of vitamins and nutrients. A few pregnancy symptoms like fatigue, chills, nausea, headaches are also the symptoms of coronavirus. Home quarantine yourself if you have these symptoms. If you have more coronavirus symptoms like cough or difficulty in respiration, then please do get tested.

Once our baby is born, you will be entirely occupied with dressing and cleaning, and you won’t feel isolated. You can even start purchasing unisex clothes for your baby if you feel low. Shopping helps! You can go for organic clothes for babies because conventional garments have a lot of chemicals that result in rashes on the soft skin of babies. This eventually decreases the immunity of babies and makes them susceptible to allergies and flu. Check out Tiny Twig, Finn and Emma, and Pure Baby for organic clothes.

Talk to your baby as much as you can, and spend time reading about newborn care or anything that would interest you. With fewer data available, all we can say is take all necessary precautions to stay safe while giving an ample amount of care to your mental health. 

 “Some of the days you feel so inadequate that you might not be strong enough to be a mother, there’s a lively kick inside you and it reminds there’s someone who already believes in you.” –  Unknown 

All the best and congratulations!

Author bio:

I am Bettye Reinhard, a post-graduate in humanities and communications, and an inquisitive person who loves writing. My forte is digital marketing and everything that has to do with phones and screens. I’m working for https://tinytwig.com.au/  I am someone who believes that one person can make a change and that’s precisely why I took up writing which is the best tool to communicate these days. I have a decade of experience in writing and marketing and I still find myself learning new things about it which I want to share with my readers. I would love to share articles like how parenting is a treasure to my wonderful readers https://healthreachcares.org/easy-tips-on-how-to-keep-your-babys-skin-healthy/